11/19/18 - Thanksgiving

During this Thanksgiving season, let’s take a look back at the President Lincoln’s proclamation which set a precedent for America’s national day of Thanksgiving.

During his administration, he issued many orders similar to this. For example, on November 28, 1861, he ordered government departments closed for a local day of thanksgiving.

Two years later, Sarah Hale, a 74-year-old magazine editor, wrote a letter to Lincoln on September 28, 1863, urging him to have the "day of our annual Thanksgiving made a national and fixed union festival." She explained, "You may have observed that, for some years past, there has been an increasing interest felt in our land to have the Thanksgiving held on the same day, in all the States; it now needs national recognition and authoritative fixation, only, to become permanently, an American custom and institution."

Before the Civil War, each state would schedule its own Thanksgiving holiday, and they were often on different days. President Lincoln responded to Mrs. Hale's request immediately, unlike several of his predecessors, who ignored her petitions altogether. In her letter to Lincoln, she mentioned that she had been advocating a national thanksgiving date for 15 years.

President Lincoln set aside the last Thursday of November "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise."

This document was written by Secretary of State William Seward, and the original was in his handwriting. On October 3, 1863, while the country was embroiled in the Civil War, President Lincoln issued his Thanksgiving proclamation.

We hope you and your family have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend, and remember keeping those who are less fortunate, in your thoughts and prayers, makes this A Better Heartland.

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